Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 508

Chapter 508
Both my grandfather and Hwa-eun had told me countless times that the members of the ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) Demonic Cult were power-worshipping battle fanatics.
They were the sort who would leap from their beds and charge out the door at the slightest whisper of a conflict, even if they were sound asleep.
It painted them as little more than Central Plains fighting dogs—battle-obsessed roosters or something equally vicious.
But it never occurred to me that their love for a fight would extend to non-human opponents as well.
From Gun Hye-rin, I didn’t just feel a determination to defend the position; I sensed a raw hunger to eradicate every last one of them.
To be honest, when Grandpa and Hwa-eun described it, I only believed about half of it, but witnessing Gun Hye-rin’s fervor made it all startlingly clear.
‘If this is the norm for the Demonic Cult, then that’s genuinely alarming.’
Naturally, if she weren’t constrained by the water, Gun Hye-rin could probably eliminate them all single-handedly.
That is the capability of someone who has reached the Flower Realm.
The opponents Gun Hye-rin would be facing were artificial spirit beasts, known specifically as the String Worms.
True, they were skilled at hiding and launching ambushes, but when it came down to it, they were merely overgrown worms with a bit more strength.
However, Gun Hye-rin was unable to utilize her full strength in this situation.
To unleash her maximum power, she would have to emit her energy openly—a act that would inevitably release torrents of demonic energy.
And releasing demonic energy here, surrounded by members of the Murim Alliance?
That would be akin to a witch performing sorcery while encircled by holy knights in a medieval tale.
‘It’s practically asking to be burned at the stake while putting on a performance.’
Of course, a martial artist in the Flower Realm possesses the skill to masterfully suppress their energy and fight effectively using only their foundational internal strength.
She might not be able to use her full power, but she could still operate at peak efficiency.
Nevertheless, if she got carried away in the heat of battle and made a single mistake, the Murim Alliance would have a grand celebration.
They would be commemorating the capture of a leading figure from the Demonic Cult.
『“Gun Hye-rin, you must be vigilant and not reveal your demonic energy.”』
Anxious, I cautioned her to keep it concealed, but her response was dismissive.
『“Naturally. Relax and take your time. They’re only beasts. I could use the exercise.”』
‘Ugh, this woman… If she makes a error—hold on, if she fails, I’m implicated too.’
I was on the verge of saying more when Yo-hwa’s voice abruptly cut into my thoughts.
‘Dear Brother, please be safe on your journey.’
She was likely urging me to avoid injury as I rushed to join them.
She had caught me off guard earlier by expressing how much she missed me, and though I was taken aback, I steadied myself and reiterated the importance of the net.
Her web was the cornerstone of our entire defensive strategy.
‘Absolutely. Yo-hwa, you must ensure the net remains intact!’
The larvae being driven out by the mother would disperse in every direction.
They wouldn’t all charge downstream simultaneously, but if any managed to breach the net, they could escape into the river beyond.
This made the net our most critical priority to safeguard.
Her reply was filled with determination.
‘Yes, Dear Brother!’
If she gave her word, I trusted her completely to honor it.
I also sent a private message of caution to Hwa-eun.
‘Hwa-eun, stay alert. I’m coming as quickly as I can.’
‘Understood. Travel safely, So-ryong.’
As I concluded the mental exchange and returned to my surroundings, I noticed the air had grown chilly.
Looking down, I saw my grilled so-gari half-buried in the sand, and the fire had been completely extinguished.
“Huh?”
I hadn’t even finished half of it—what went wrong?
While I glanced around, bewildered, I heard Cho’s voice emanating from the water.
Chrrr. 『Dad, we should leave!』
Startled by the sudden summons, I turned toward the sound.
Cho and Yeon-du had already gathered our things and returned Seom and Byeok to the pouch.
They were completely packed and prepared to depart.
“Leave?”
We had been flying the entire day. We were supposed to be resting, and now we were setting off again?
They must have eavesdropped on the group conversation.
I approached and gently stroked their heads.
“You both need to rest.”
I understood their sentiment.
They were concerned about Hwa-eun and eager to depart immediately.
I had contemplated leaving a bit early myself, but proceeding without proper rest would only lead to greater fatigue and further delays later on.
“If you become exhausted, we will be even more slowed down. Let’s ensure we rest adequately.”
I shook my head again, but Cho and Yeon-du responded with confident tones.
Chrrr. 『Dad, it’s fine. I have the stamina to continue.』
Shyaa. 『That’s correct, So-ryong. We can manage, so please don’t worry.』
They grasped my collar and coiled around me, lifting me from the ground.
“Hey, hold on—you’re going to wear yourselves out! You two? Hey!?”
Ignoring my objections, they propelled us into the night sky, heading toward the moon.
***
The only sound at the riverside was the gentle murmur of the flowing water.
It appeared silent due to the absence of people, but in reality, it was not.
Even the sound of breathing was subdued—because both banks of the river, concealed within the thick undergrowth, were lined with warriors holding their breath, poised to execute their orders.
This was the site of the first net, deployed under Master So-ryong’s directive.
The warriors stood watch on both sides of the river, maintaining absolute silence to avoid detection near that initial barrier.
Hidden in the grass beside them were long bamboo spears, prepared to thrust into the water the instant a Poison Larva appeared.
Those were their instructions.
Amid this palpable tension, the only movement was the soft gurgle of the stream.
Sitting among the warriors and observing the river, Gun Hye-rin turned to Hwa-eun with an expression of boredom.
“Still no sign of them?”
“It appears not.”
“I expected them to arrive in a crashing wave… apparently not.”
Gun Hye-rin’s face clearly showed her disappointment.
It was understandable—he had been anticipating a brutal, life-or-death struggle, yet there was no indication of any action.
And it was already past midnight.
However, Gun Hye-rin wasn’t the only one feeling this way.
The surrounding warriors shot uneasy glances in his direction, prompting Sister Seol to chide him.
“Hey, Lady Gun, please don’t tempt fate with that kind of talk.”
To Gun Hye-rin and Hwa-eun, the approaching creatures might not seem like a significant threat, but to the warriors present, they had recently lost allies to the mother of these very beasts.
The report that the Poison Larvae had drastically increased in number after nearly a month of havoc had put everyone on high alert.
Gun Hye-rin muttered in response to Sister Seol’s remark.
“I’m merely expressing my boredom.”
“Even so, you shouldn’t say such things. It would be ideal if everything remained calm until Master So-ryong arrives.”
“…Tch. Alright. My apologies.”
How had it come to this—where even the Little Heavenly Demon, now the Heavenly Demon, was compelled to apologize?
Gun Hye-rin mourned her circumstances and briefly considered taking Sister Seol aside later to reprimand her. But then, a realization struck her.
Seol wasn’t just an ordinary person. In a sense, she was like a sister-in-law.
So, in truth, there was little she could actually say.
To be exact, she was the sister of the man who would become her master—and isn’t the term “master” often another word for “husband”?
‘A-Am I losing my mind? What kind of thought is that?’
The moment that idea entered her mind, Gun Hye-rin’s face flushed crimson, and she lowered her head deeply.
At that precise instant, one of the warriors monitoring the river suddenly seized his bamboo spear and drove it into the water.
–Pshhk.
The orders had been explicit: if a Poison Larva appeared, they were to silently impale it with their spears and cast it onto the piles of standing ashes.
So, while the action itself wasn’t unexpected, the sharp sound that ruptured the quiet babbling of the stream captured everyone’s attention.
The warrior’s arm muscles strained as he applied force.
There was a tangible resistance—then, as he pulled the spear from the water, a wriggling form was skewered on its tip.
unmistakably, it was a Poison Larva.
They were said to be the size of a forearm, but this one seemed to have grown even larger—comparable to an adult’s leg.
It was so weighty that the bamboo spear arched like a bow.
“Yes! I caught one!”
Just as the warrior exclaimed in victory—
A shrill, piercing shriek split the night air, emanating from the spear’s tip.
–Kieeeee!
Everyone shuddered at the sound.
The creature impaled on the spear was emitting a horrifying noise.
“They’re here?!”
There was no doubt it was a Poison Larva.
As Gun Hye-rin sprang to her feet, exhilarated—
The creature’s cry sent vibrations across the water’s surface, and abruptly, countless shapes began to emerge from the stream upstream.
–Pop. Pshhk. Pshhpshhk.
The sound of water splashing resembled falling rain. The entities that surfaced vanished beneath the water again almost immediately.
An unsettling silence reclaimed the area.
But soon after—
A new current began to move from upstream toward downstream.
No—it seemed like a simple current, but in reality, it was the motion of innumerable Poison Larvae blanketing the stream’s surface.
The creatures squirmed as they advanced toward the location where the warriors from the Martial Alliance and Beast Palace were stationed.
“Aaaah!”
“Th-The Poison Larvae are here!”
“H-How can there be so many?!”
Witnessing the tide of Poison Larvae approaching, the warriors cried out in terror.
The dread of the venomous horde swarming through the dark waterway was paralyzing.
The water’s surface churned as if alive, and even the most courageous found it difficult to maintain their composure.
Then, the leadership of the Martial Alliance and the Beast Palace stepped forward and yelled:
“Do not be afraid! They are nothing but animals!”
“Master So-ryong has already provided us with the means to defeat them—simply follow the plan!”
The lord of the Beast Palace and the elders of the Martial Alliance shouted simultaneously.
At that moment, the Dragon Fangs moved swiftly among the warriors, shouting:
“They’re upon us! Prepare yourselves!”
“Raise your spears!”
At their command, the spears were lifted in unison, turning the riverbank into a forest of reeds. Everyone stood rigid, awaiting the onslaught.
The flood of Poison Larvae entered the spears’ reach.
“Thrust!”
“Aaaah!”
“Perish!”
The warriors roared battle cries to suppress their fear and plunged their spears forward.
Soon, the twisting Poison Larvae were being lifted on the spears’ points.
–Kieeeee.
–Kiee!
They were promptly thrown into the waiting pits of ashes.
There, they convulsed in agony and started to wither away.
“Yes! It’s effective!”
“Just as Master So-ryong predicted!”
Cries of affirmation spread rapidly among the warriors.
They now had confidence that they could exterminate the creatures following Master So-ryong’s strategy, and their morale soared.
Once gripped by fear and tension, the warriors now systematically speared and discarded one Poison Larva after another into the ash pits.
–Kieee.
–Kiiie.
The creatures screeched as they expelled a viscous fluid from their mouths.
The water soon became a nightmarish scene, teeming with thrashing Poison Larvae and their repulsive discharges.
***
“Incoming wounded!”
“Bring them over here!”
“Another one! He’s been poisoned by a mother Poison Larva!”
“Set him down, hurry!”
With casualties arriving continuously, Hwa-eun and the Tang Clan members were working without pause.
If the poison wasn’t neutralized swiftly, the victims’ hearts would fail, resulting in death.
Hwa-eun used her internal energy to force out the toxins, then turned to Chang-ryong, who was resting nearby with a weary expression.
He had been among the first group brought in—Hwa-eun presumed he would have more information on the current state of affairs.
Due to the warriors poisoned by the mother Poison Larvae, she hadn’t been able to join the battle. She had remained behind with the Tang Clan members to treat the incoming wounded.
“Chang-ryong, what is the status of the fourth net?”
“It’s still holding, but it won’t last much longer. It was constructed from bamboo and standard netting originally. Any news on Dok-hwa and Master So-ryong?”
“They are reportedly still en route, traveling without rest…”
They had begun with great resolve, but by the second day, the situation had taken a dire turn.
Three of the five nets had already been destroyed, and now a desperate battle was underway before the fourth.
This was all due to the emergence of the mother Poison Larva.
As the larvae’s cries persisted, the mother had suddenly erupted from the water and began spraying venom. That assault had resulted in numerous casualties and had torn the first net, made from Yo-hwa’s thread, completely in two.
The thread itself was strong—but the tree serving as its anchor had been the vulnerability.
When the tree shattered, the net was torn apart uselessly.
All subsequent nets were fashioned from bamboo or layers of ordinary netting, so they lacked durability. One after another, they were either shredded or ripped from their moorings.
Over a dozen warriors had already been carried back after being doused in venom by the mother Poison Larvae.
The creatures were massive—too large to lift with spears—and even when pierced, their wounds healed rapidly, leading to a steady flow of casualties.
Even attacks from masters resulted in quick regeneration of injured areas. Hwa-eun had attempted using poison techniques, but only the poisoned flesh would slough off, and the newly revealed tissue would regenerate almost immediately.
Finally, one of the Martial Alliance elders, enraged by the mounting injuries, cleaved one of the creatures in two vertically—but this only provoked a greater catastrophe.
Three mothers had now emerged from the larvae, spewing venom as they went on a rampage.
Just as Hwa-eun frowned upon hearing the fourth net was on the verge of failing—
Shouts echoed from farther away.
“The fourth net has been breached! Retreat to the fifth!”
It had finally happened.
However, the fifth net had been reinforced with Yo-hwa’s thread, and Yo-hwa herself had strengthened it—so there was a chance it could hold.
After the first net was destroyed, Yo-hwa had been reassigned to bolster the final defensive line.
Hwa-eun clung to the hope that they might somehow maintain their position until Master So-ryong’s arrival.
–Rrrummmble.
Abruptly, the rumble of thunder echoed through the air.
Earlier, she had noticed the sky upstream looked somewhat darker—now bolts of lightning were fracturing the clouds overhead.
“Is it starting to rain?”
There was no question now—rain was falling upstream.
Initially, they didn’t give it much thought.
But then Sister Seol, drenched in sweat, came sprinting over and shouted to Hwa-eun.
“Th-This is terrible! It’s raining upstream!”
“Will that cause a major issue?”
“This is Yunnan! The summer rains here are torrential! The stream could swell to twice its size!”
“What?!”
At Sister Seol’s words, everyone stood frozen in place.